Quantic Dream: Heavy Rain QTE criticism is 'bull***t'

Quantic Dream bigwig David Cage has brushed off criticism accusing the firm’s upcoming PlayStation 3 thriller Heavy Rain for being over reliant on quick time events.

The studio co-founder didn’t mince his words when given the opportunity to hit out at recent criticism of the hotly anticipated title at GamesCom last week, stating, "Bullshit! Just bullshit! I mean what's the question? We released Fahrenheit before. People know very well what the kind of balance we're looking for is. The balance is quite similar in Heavy Rain.”

Cage noted that sceptics are likely confused by the game’s 3D interface, mistaking it for quick time events, when in fact you are given absolute freedom to explore and interact with the environment around you.

"I think that people who didn't see any demos or did not play the game are a little bit confused by the fact that the interface is in 3D. It's not quick time events. You navigate. You're free to explore. It's just that the interface, instead of being 2D icons in the lower corner, they are now inside the set. That's the only difference. You control the character second to second, and the balance is quite similar to Fahrenheit. There's no difference."

Wrapping up, Cage stated emphatically that the game’s objective is to tell the story through gameplay segments, not cut scenes – if it were the latter, he noted it wouldn't be any different than making a movie.

"You know when you make a first-person shooter, you just see ten seconds and you know what the game is about," said Cage. "When you see a game that has no real reference, that is kind of different, it's really difficult. Some people imagine things. Don't be afraid. It's not quick time based. All the purpose of Heavy Rain is to tell the story not through cutscenes but through gameplay. I would be stupid just to release cutscenes. I mean what's the point? I'd better make movie then. That's silly."